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Ford trying to stop regional chair election in Niagara

Alan Calsin, regional chair for the Niagara Region, has withdrawn his candidacy for regional chair as a result of Ontario Premier Doug Ford's decision to axe the public election of the regional chair. (File photo)

There may no longer be a public election for the regional chair of Niagara.

On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced and Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark announced a series of reforms in the Better Local Governments Act, which if passed would reverse changes introduced in 2016 that mandate the election of new regional chairs in York, Peel, Niagara and Muskoka Regions.

Instead, Niagara’s regional chair would be selected by elected regional council members as has been previously done.

Current regional chair Alan Caslin, who was running seeking the position again, has since withdrawn his name from the race and decided to run for seat as a regional councillor for the city of St. Catharines.

“My number one priority has always been the people of Niagara,” Caslin said in a press release.

He said he will spend the next few months “knocking on doors, talking with local residents and business owners” so he can bring their concerns to the region.

Niagara-on-the-Lake resident Aaron Scott Michael Stack, Pelham mayor Dave Augustyn, former Welland mayor Damian Goulbourne, Niagara Falls resident John "Ringo" Beam, who were also running for the position of regional chair, appear to still be running.